Truss



Oct. 13, 1953 E. E. FRANCE 2,655,149

I TRUSS Filed NOV. 17, 1950 INVENTOR' W BY W W ATTORNEYS l atented Oct. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I TRUSS Edgar E. Prance, Quitman, Ga. Application November 17, 1950, Serial N 0. 196,240

Claims.

This invention has for its object to provide an improvement in trusses for the treatment and relief of persons suffering from a rupture or hernia, and it comprises an abdominal pressure member acted upon by a pull or means of support exerted from two separate directions.

A further object of the invention is to augment the radial or inward force applied to the pressure member of a steel truss frame with an upward force or pull provided by an independent back strap. This strap is adapted to extend upwardly from the pressure member and fit above the hips and circle across the back to operate entirely separate from the lower means of support, that is, the steel truss frame.

An advantage of this device is that the novel construction thereof provides complete stability to the truss, thus preventing any possibility of the supporting pad slipping out of place and failing to hold the rupture.

A further advantage of my improved truss lies in the fact that the pressure pads fit into the groin to provide adequate support by bearing against the point of rupture. These pads may be made of variou materials, but the better ones will be formed of highly polished plastic materials, such as Lucite or the like, to prevent irritation of the flesh.

Theseand other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of the present invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation view of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the invention.

Similar reference characters represent similar parts in the several figures.

The type of truss most commonly used at this time consists of a frame or strap adapted to surround the hips of the wearer and adjustable to apply pressure to the rupture pads in a radial or inward direction with respect to the wearers body, or in other words, the direction of pull or force of the conventional truss is horizontal only. Theabove-mentioned single direction pull or force may in the case of minor ruptures suflice in holding the rupture in place. However, it has been repeatedly experienced with the use of conventionaltruss that serious or acute ruptures will at times escape, causing painful, if not serious, results.

As the intestines are above the groin or affected area it is obvious that these intestines must descend within the body, exerting considerable pressure. Therefore, it is indeed necessary to have a separate upward pull such as provided in my invention to augment the horizontal pull or force. The present conventional truss makes no provision for the actual support of the intestines from beneath by way of a two-way pull which is so very necessary for the complete stability and efiiciency of the truss.

Referring to the figures in the drawing it will be seen that I provide an oval-shaped steel truss frame member generally designated by the numeral is. When worn the frame member [9 is adapted to repose in a horizontal position having arcuate end portions II and I2 which closely fit the contour of the wearers hips. The frame member is discontinuous in construction, presenting opposed free ends l3 and M which are spaced to permit the frame member to be inserted around the hips of the wearer. The frame member is preferably made of a resilient steel, although other materials may be used. Each of the ends l3 and It is provided with a body cushion or back pad l5 preferably comprising a cir-' cular metal plate having its surface adjacent the wearers body covered with a relatively thick layer of sponge rubber or other soft substance. This material may be covered with leather or other appropriate material.

The cushion pads l5 are connected to the truss frame member by means of a stub shaft l7 located centrally of the outer surface of the metallic pad plate. This shaft is provided with a horizontal aperture which slidably receives the free end of truss frame member. The outer end of each shaft I: contains a threaded aperture into which fits a set screw 48. It will be obvious that this set screw is among other things utilized to fix the position of the cushion pad l5 relative to the truss frame member.

The set screws is are purposely made longer than necessary for their locking function so that a small portion of the shank of each screw will extend beyond shaft I? whereby a leather ad justment strap [9 may be provided with appropriate retaining means. To explain this feature in greater detail it is pointed out that the adjustment strap is provided at one end with an aperture approximately the diameter of the set screw shank; therefore one set screw may be removed from its respective shaft and inserted through the strap aperture whereupon the head of the screw will retain the strap in a fixed position relative to one end of the truss frame member. The other end of the adjustment strap is provided with a series of apertures of sufficient size to enable the strap to be selectively engaged with the set screw on the other end of the truss frame by merely threading the head of said set screw through an aperture which will give the frame the required fitting tightness.

Along that portion of the truss frame member which extends across the abdomen of the wearer I provide either one or two rupture pads 20, depending upon whether the injury is a single or double hernia. The illustration shown in Fig. l of the drawing is an adaptationtoaocommoe date a single hernia, and therefore a balancing pad cushion 21 is located where a second rupture pad would ordinarily be required. The rupture pad 20 (and in the present illustration the front. or balancing cushion 2!) is provided with a central stub shaft 22 similar in construction to the member I! previously described inrcomnection with the rear cushions IS. A set screw 23 is likewise employed to retain the rupture pad in proper position and preferably the forward portion of the circumference of, the frame member is flattened as shown at 24 in order to provide an adequate seat forth'e- :set screw, thus enabling proper lateral. adjustment of the. rupture pad. The pads have. rounded orbulging pressure faces.

The truss structure described thusfar provides an inward thrust. effecting a. once-way. exertion of pressure on the ruptured area. As previously explained, this alone isv insufficient to provide adequate support and proper relief. Thus:,,. a most important feature of my improved truss liesin theprovision of a. second and independent means for exerting'pressurexon the: affected'area. After considerable experimentation- I "have: determined that only when some force is: exerted'in an upward direction frombeneaththe intestines is completejsatisfaction obtained. In Figures 1 and 2 I have shown what I prefer; to term a back strap 25, preferably of elastic-webbing, having-secured to each end thereofa clamp 2-5;.

Each clamp 26 has a jaw (not shown) of-conventional construction, commonly 7 found in buckles or clamps adapted to be connected to belts or other similar articles. The clamp: has a depending neck portion}?! in: which is formed an aperture 28 similar in shape to a common keyhole. The enlarged portion of the aperture permits the clamp to be inserted over the head of the set screw and when; the back, strap is placed under tension the shank of the set screw moves into the narrow portion. ofys'aid opening, whereby the clamp is held in: place with; respect to the truss frame member. l0. Thebackzstra-p may be of uniform width, or, as shown in the present illustration, the central portion, of the strap may be increased inwidth so as-to provide greater comfort and additional resting support to the small of the wearers back;

Normally when worn the forward" ends of. the back strap are inclined in" the=neighborhoodi of 45 1:050 degrees with the horizontal. Thispcrimits theelast-icwebbing to exert anzupwardpuli on the rupturepad.

IFhe' importance of. the cooperation. of the: two.

independently acting sections ofJ-my truss cannotgbe over-emphasized. Byleayingzoft the-new back strap, the steel truss frame member only presses the point of rupture in a horizontal direction having no upwardfpull whatsoever. As previously mentioned, there. are times when the horizontal member acting alone will slip down just enough toallow the rupture to 'escape. On the other hand, if the steel frame member is omitted and only the back strap were to b'e'used,

the pads would turn upwardly, allowing the rupture to escape underneat The present invention by the introduction of a two-way pull requires less pressure. The conventional truss with a one-way pull requires a great deal of pressure when used since it must be very tight to hold the rupture in. On the other hand, with my arrangement both the wire frame and elastic strap can be adjusted very comfortably withvery little pressure. Thusit has been effectively proven the only solution for perfect support and comfort is by the two-way pull accomplished by the cooperation of the horizontal truss frame member and the new inclined back strap assembly.

additional importance is the fact that the inclusionofthebackstrap to the horizontal truss frame member stabilizes the entire supporting device.- Any horizontally positioned truss has a tendency to rock or wabble, occasionally permitting the truss to. slip-from proper. position, allowing therupture to escape; The. additionalupward pull provided by the back strap is sufficient to stabilize the truss; frame, member, making: a. far more. efficient: construction.

The particular-shape of therup'ture: pad shown in the drawing enables. this member to; embed-itself-inthe recess formed in the groin. However, it hasbeen found that this closely fitting member frequently irritates the body in. the area. acted upon. While I construct. novel rupture pad of the material conventionally used, namely, rubber or leather in some. models; have found that a bulging: pad, such as: I have designed, is far more effective and comfortable, if made of a hard and highly polished plastic substance. and accordingly I use plastic, for the. better models. This. substance may very. well be; Lucite or any one of .a number of. similar plasticv compositions. It has been determined that when my rupture pad is made. of the above-mentioned material it may be retained in supporting, position without the possibility of eventual irritation of the, body.

From the foregoing description ofthe present invention it will be seen. that I have devised a novel structure. which not. only theormbut in actual practice, has provided for the first time adequate support and complete. comfort to a person suffering from acute rupture The device is not only extremely simple and economical to manufacture, but presents. a minimum of cumbersome members. to. be carried on the body of the wearer.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of my invention, it will be understood that variations in details-of form may bemadewithout departure from the invention as defined the appendedclaims.

I claim:

.1. An: abdominal 'trusscomprising a frame member adapted=toexterrd horizontally about the hips-of awearer, a pad fixed :to thea r ront of said frame member for pressing-against a ruptured area of a body, and a strap having-"itsends attached to the front of the frame-member said strap being-otherwise unattached to saidframe member and 'being adapted to-extend upwardly aroundthe-small of a wearers back to providean upward pull on the pad.

2 An abdominal truss comprising a resilient frame member having front and rear portions and adapted to extend horizontally about the hips of a wearer, a pad fixed' to the front portion of the frame member for pressing against a ruptured area of a body, and a strap having its ends attached to the front of the frame member said strap being otherwise unattached to said frame member and being adapted to extend upwardly around the small of a wearers back to provide an upward pull on the pad.

3. An abdominal truss comprising a resilient frame member having front and rear portions and adapted to extend horizontally about the hips of a wearer, a pad fixed at a point on the front portion of the frame member for pressing against a ruptured area of a body, a strap having one end fixed to said point on the frame member, said strap adapted to extend upwardly around a, small of the wearers back and having its other end fixed to the front portion of the frame member at a point spaced from said first mentioned point whereby an upward pull is exerted on the pad, said strap being otherwise unattached to said frame.

4. An abdominal truss comprising a resilient frame member having front and rear portions and adapted to extend horizontally about the hips of a wearer, a pad fixed at a point on the front portion of the frame member and having a rounded pressure face adapted to fit into a ruptured area of a body, a strap having an end fixed to said point on the frame member said strap adapted to extend upwardly around the small of a wearers back and having its other end fixed to the front portion of the frame memher whereby an upward pull is exerted on the pad to support a rupture from beneath, said strap being otherwise unattached to said frame.

5. An abdominal truss comprising a resilient frame member having front and rear portions and adapted to extend horizontally about the hips of a, wearer, a pad fixed at a point on the front portion of the frame member and having a rounded pressure face of highly polished plastic material adapted to fit into a ruptured area of a body, a strap having an end fixed to said point on the frame member, said strap adapted to extend upwardly around the small of a wearers back and having its other end fixed to the front portion of the frame member whereby an upward pull is exerted on the pad to support the rupture from beneath, said strap being otherwise unattached to said frame.

EDGAR E. FRANCE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 211,319 Carpenter Jan. 14, 1879 455,771 Smith et a1 July 14, 1891 531,343 Smith Dec. 25, 1894 719,311 Dewees Jan. 27, 1903 1,399,386 Husar Dec. 6, 1921 2,496,081 Ambrose Jan. 31, 1950 

